Action against the new detention center ended with repression

During the 2nd European Caravan for Freedom of Movement an action against the Migrant Detention Centre in Zona Franca, which is under construction, took place on 24 June 2006. It was followed with police violence and arrestations. The detainees where released during afternoon and evening of 26 June 2006.

In November 2005, the 1st European Caravan for Freedom of Movement took place in Ceuta to denounce the deaths of more than 40 people crossing the border fence. The 2nd European Caravan for Freedom of Movement was planned from 23-25 June 2006 in Barcelona.

The activities started in afternoon of 23 June 2003. In the morning of 24 June 2006, at around 10:30am, more than 100 people from different European countries met in front of the doors of what will be the new migrant detention centre (CIE), currently in construction in Zona Franca (Barcelona). They entered peacefully in the site and placed placards denouncing the use that the centre will have.

The new detention centre, that will be the biggest in Spain, will substitute the current one (La Verneda) and will amplify its capacity in the number of places. The CIE La Verneda has been continuely denounced by international human rights institutions and by diverse social movements, as a result of which the opening of the new centre is being presented by the administration as an "improvement" in the migrants internment conditions.

During the action, the police arrived, and after having negotiated a peaceful exit for the participants, they began to act aggresively towards journalists, threataning the participants with dogs and even destroying a camera of TVE. The events have ended with multiple agressions and with the detention of all the participants concentrated within the centre, including the journalists, one from Europa Press and another from TVE.

The detainees were brought to Verneda police station where activists gathered outside to show their support to the imprisioned. They denounced the unmeasured and aggresive police action against a completly peacefull and legitimate act in defence of all the rights of migrant people.

The arrangement of the :: demonstration at 18:00pm on 24 June 2006 in plaça universitat, for the closing of migrant detention centres, freedom of movement, and the unconditional regularisation of migrants in Europe, remains in place. At the end of the demonstration a concentration of people has been arranged in front of the Verneda detention centre in solidarity with the detainees (:: see fotos).

On Sunday, 25 June 2006, a :: solidarity demonstration took place in front of "La Verneda" to demand the freedom for the 57 activists who were still detained in the police station 'La Verneda'.

In a statement of the supporters it was written: "We know that the conditions of detention are very bad. The detainees were handcuffed and kept standing for many hours. Now there are six people in a cell which is designed for only two people. Many of them have declared that they have experienced police violence.

The charges against the particpants are damage to property and public order charges. The detainees are demanding to be freed, but they have been refused. Probably the 57 detainees will meet with a judge tomorrow morning to make official statements, which are neccesary for their eventual release, but which also open the possibilty for their eventual prosecution.

We denounce the police repression against a peaceful and legitimate act to defend the human rights of migrant people. A demonstration is organised to take place today at 18.00 PM behind the Migrant Detention Centre 'La Verneda'. Another demonstration is organiseed for tomorrow at 12.00 behind the court situated near the Arc de Triomf.

We call on all collectives and individuals to support the detainees by sending a protest letter against the illegal detentions and demanding the immediate relaese of the detainees to embasies and consulats in your respective countries."

Solidarity statements

Statement of frassanito-network to Barcelona action and arrests

The action against the Detention centre in construction of La Vernada, Barcelona, organized by activists from Spain and other European countries, addressed one of the main symbols of the European border regime.

The Frassanito network, that participated to the Caravan for Freedom of movement in Barcelona, stresses its solidarity to the comrades arrested and detained after the action. We believe that - what happened in Barcelona - shows that it is necessary to take a step forward, to strengthen the European dimension of the struggle against these centres. But also against their externalization. Neighbouring countries such as Morocco, Libya and the former Yugoslavia are increasingly involved in controlling European borders and in managing migration, as the events of last November in Ceuta and Melilla showed.

Detention centres are one of the crucial institutions of a global system of borders and migration management. It is not simply aimed at keeping migrants and refugees outside Europe, but at controlling their access and promoting a selective and hierarchical recruitment.

Their function is strictly connected with the process of illegalization of migrants through a chain of borders. One of these mechanisms is the link between labour contract and residence permit, which is becoming a homogeneous criterion of access in all European countries.

The struggle against detention centres and their externalization, for the unconditional legalization of all migrants in Europe and against the exploitation of migrants labour through the link between the labour contract and the residence permit, will occupy again the European political space during the :: 3rd European day of Action. All migrants’ struggles inside and against this migration regime can find, during this date, a moment of political communication and organization. We will work so that the 3rd European day of action should become a common moment of struggle under the mark of the social protagonism of migrants!

Stopp detention - free the Barcelona 59!

On Saturday, 24th of June 2006, one hundred of activists from Spain and many european countries, have entered, in a pacifistic but strong way, the detention centres for immigrants of Zona Franca, Barcelona.

That is, like the ones, (CPT) in Italy, an ehnic jail in which will be rounded up the immigrant citizen "guilty" of not having the "right" papers. As in the italian case, also in the Spain of the democractic and progressive Zapatero, millions of euros have been spent in building horribles detention facilities for the administrative detention of people that are not guilty of any offence but the one of willing to live and travel in Europe. This detention camp of Zona Franca will be the biggest of Spain. The activists have occupied it, showing banners and slogans against human rights violations and for the closing of every ethnic prison. Then they started to dismantle it, from the cages to the internal surveillance devices, putting all this stuff outside in the sight of everybody.

The anti-riot police entered with violence, even if the protester where calm and steady. The journalist inside where hurt. Police used dogs and then after menaces and aggressions, rounded up the 59 activits. In these days actions and protests are going on in Barcelone.

We ask the immediate release of all the comrades detenees! Between them there are peoples coming form many cities in Italy.

We reclaim the legitimacy of every kind of action aimed to, dismantle and put out of order every detention camp all over Europe.

We did it in Bologna in 2002 and in Gradisca D'Isonzo, against the biggest detention center for immigrants in Italy.

We reclaim the right to escape for all the immigrants prisoners in the camps, like it happened in Turin in the past weeks.

We reclaim the right to sustain the internal revolts, right shows of refusals against these terribles violations of human rights.

We reclaim the right to build up network of protection and escape for illegals immigrants that flee form absurd immigration laws.

We reclaim our right to fight for a different Europe, for immigrants and for ourselves togheter. An Europe of freedom of movement, of freedom from explioitation.

We remember that Zapatero's Spain is the same where 40 people that where crossing the border have been killed by the police. To the Italian center-left government we promise a good autumn to talk about the closure of the italians detention centers. Because we won't wait anymore.

Common Area of The Social Desobedience

Solidarity letter from Caffé Babele

Caffé Babele is a group of ucrainian women in Reggio Emilia, Italy. They are working as elderly care assistants in Italian families.

25 June 2006

With this letter we express full solidarity and support to the 59 of our brothers and sisters, arreste in barcelona yesterday for having manifested against the opening of new deportation camp.

We, people of Caffe' Bebele, aliens and italians, regular and irregular, support the fight against these lager, for the freedom of all the human beings.

We today are not in Barcelona, but it is lige it we were with you.

We are far, but our heart is with you!

-Caffé Babele-

Solidarity letter from "Area condivisa della disobbedienza sociale"

The "Area condivisa della disobbedienza sociale" demand the immediate freedom of the 59 activists arrested in Barcelona. Among them there are several brothers and sisters from Bologna, Venice, Rome and other Italian towns.

The "Area condivisa della disobbedienza sociale" fully supports the dismantling action carried out against the Spanish detention centre to make it out of order. All actions whose aim is to make useless such structures of abuse against people are just and sides with human rights and dignity: this was the case of the dismantling action of Bologna CPT in January 2002 and of Gradisca d'Isonzo CPT in June 2004.

We believe in our right to struggle to build a different Europe where anyone' rights are respected and where anyone can freely circulate without suffering abuses, exploitement or forced illegality.

To the Italian centre-left government we promise that next autumn we shall speak again for the immediate closure of Italian detention centres for migrants. We shall wait no more.

Immediate freedom for the people arrested in Barcelona!
Closing down of all European CPT! Rights for all migrants!"